Thomas Stone graduate Hernandez-Harrison is on top of the world

Wins the WBC Youth title belt

Photo by JOE CAMPOREALE
Thomas Stone High School graduate Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (18-0, 10 KOs), left, won the WBC Welterweight Youth Title belt with a unanimous victory over Josh "The Pitbull" Torres at the Madison Square Garden theater on Nov. 2.

A pitbull was on the loose in the boxing ring on Nov. 2 in New York City, but Dusty Hernandez-Harrison was standing in the way.

Hernandez-Harrison, a Washington, D.C., resident and Thomas Stone High School graduate, fought Josh “The Pitbull” Torres, from Albuquerque, N.M., for the World Boxing Council Welterweight Youth Title belt that night at the Madison Square Garden theater.

Hernandez-Harrison needed all 10 rounds of the bout, the longest he’s ever gone in the ring, to get the belt around his waist.

The 19-year-old defeated the 23-year-old Torres in a unanimous decision by scores of 100-90, 98-92 and 98-82 to continue his perfect professional career at 18-0, 10 wins by knockout.

“It feels good. I’ve got the title,” Harrison said in a recent interview with Round by Round Boxing. “I’m happy. I went 10 strong rounds. I won 8-10 rounds; depends on how you watched it. I learned a lot during the fight. It was a good learning experience.”

In that interview, Hernandez-Harrison said he’s ready to get right back into the ring for his eighth fight this year. He will face 30-year-old Marlon Lewis (6-2-2, 3 KOs) of Memphis, Tenn., on Friday at the Dover Downs Hotel and Casino in Dover, Del.

“I’m right back in there on Nov. 22,” Hernandez-Harrison said in the interview. “I do plan to fight in Washington D.C. again soon. I’d fight there every weekend if I could, but you do learn a lot fighting on the road. You see a lot. Obviously fighting at Madison Square Garden, you can’t trade that for anything.”

Hernandez-Harrison fought a conservative, smart five rounds against Torres, then finished out the last five with more precision and speed after suffering a cut over his right eye in the third round.

In Round 8, Hernandez-Harrison stunned Torres (12-3-1, 5 KOs) with a right hand to the face and finished out the last two rounds looking more like himself. He went back to the jab and threw more punches.

The last two rounds were great mixes of his combinations and Hernandez-Harrison resorted back to his defense, not allowing Torres to get in closer to him for inside body shots.

Jeff Fried, boxing promoter and agent to the Harrison family, is thrilled with the level that Harrison is fighting at.

“Dusty is considered one of the future superstars in the boxing industry and will have had an amazing eight bouts in 2013,” Fried said. “He’s keeping very active and his team’s goal is for him to continue to learn from each of his boxing matches and maximize his development in and out of the ring.”

Fried said that Harrison’s eye has healed well and he will be ready to go Friday night. He’s thrilled with his work ethic, a key to his continuous victory that has led to his undefeated record.

“Dusty is a young man with tremendous family values and is genuine in his approach with everyone and, most importantly, with himself,” Fried said. “Combined with his talents, he displays the work ethic that enables him to maximize his opportunities. Dusty has an uncanny grounded self accountability in his training and preparation that will serve him well as he continues to develop as a young professional athlete.”

“I am honored that Dusty and Buddy have that same trust in my family and me as we care about Dusty and his family,” Fried said. “That mutual trust is right up there as a key component in maximizing the potential for a young athlete.”

One thing the Harrison’s still have on their side are their devoted fans that continue to pack the house. Over 250 fans traveled to New York to watch the matchup.

Fried suggested that Hernandez-Harrison will be fighting in Washington, D.C., within the next four months.